Stalk-cutter.



. Tv. HOLTON & W. J. JEWELL.

STALK CUTTER.

APPLICATION FlLED 1AN.13,1915.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W'TNESSES JNI/ENTOR THE COLUMBIA PLANUGRAPH 60,. wAsHlNs-roN, D. C.

STALK CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.13,1915.

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WTNESSES I TME coLuMEm PLANonxzAPl-l co., WASHINGTON. n. c.

HENRY T. J. OF FITZGERALD, GEORGIA.

- STArLK-CUTFDER.

License.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 31]. 25, 1916.

Application iledlanuary 13, 1915*. Serial No. 2,011.

aswill enable others skilledy in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. p

This invention relatesto stalk cutters and has as its primary object, theprovision of a device that is easy to assemble, simple in con-k struction, strong and durable in operation and one that will not clog.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a stalk cuttery having means upon the drum thereof for reinforcing and preventing` the buckling of the Ycutting blades. And another object of this invention resides in the provision of means upon the stalk cutter in advance of the'cutting blades for positioning thestalks in the path of the blades for the more eliiciefnt chopping of the stalks.

lVith these andy other objects inview as the specification is developed, we shall now proceed to describe our invention kin which the drawings show a preferred embodiment of the invention, but we donot desire to be limited to the specific form or construction shown, but claim all possible modifications in the scope of the claimsappended hereto.

Similar characters,of-reference refer to similar parts throughout the speciication and drawings, in which,

i Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of the device in assembled form. Fig. v2, a sectional elevation in assembled form'.` `Fig.` 3, a per spective view of the drum asmounted upon the axle but with the cutterblades removed.` Fig. l, a perspective view of one section of the drum showing the manner of its mounting upon the axle. F ig. 5. is a view yin perspective of another section of the drum.

In the drawings, Figs.` 1 and 2, 1 is the drum mounted upon the axle 2, said axle being rotatably seated in bearings y@which support the standards t and 5. These standards in like manner 'support cross beams 6 and 7, the cross beam 6 spanning the rear of thestandards and thecross beam7 spanning the front of the standards. These cross beams pivotally support a tongue y8, ysaid tongue being pivoted to the center portion of the cross beam 7 by means of a pivot bolt 9, this pivot bolt running through the cross beam4 7, the tongue 8 and a double tree 10, which is likewise pivotally mounted by the pivot bolt. Mounted upon the tongue 10 is a standard 11 towhich is bolted an ordinary strap spring 12. To the top portion of this strap spring 12 is bolted a seat standard 13 to which isrigidly attached the seat 14 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. It can readily be seen from this construction that they seat will move with the tongue and will therefore always directly face the direction in which the stalk cutter is being pulled. To further support and brace the seat 14, a brace rod 15, is boltedto the under portion of thelseat as at 1G, at one end, and to the tongue. 8 as at 17, at the opposite end. This gives a strongand durable, and yet springy seat. y The usual swingle trees 18 are attached to the double tree 10 as shown ink Fig. 1.

` Another feature of the inventionresides in the drum 1 which is formed in two sections 19and 20, section 19 being shown in Fig. 4 and the section 20 in Fig. v5, said sec tions being counter parts of each other and comprising semi-spherical flanges 2l and 22 which are connected by the vsemi-spherical body portions 19 and 20. Spokes 24 run from the flanges at the junction point of the body portions 19 and 2O into approximately the central point where it meets a second spokedevice 25 which runs at approximate right angles thereto. At the meeting point, a groove or axle bearing 26 is met and through the spoke 25 are apertures or bolt holes 27 and 28,V On the inside surfaces of each of theflanges 21 and 22 and at right angles thereto, area multiplicity of cutter lianges 29. each having an aperture or bolt hole 80 running centrally therethrough. Each section isa counter part of the other and when assembled together form a complete axle bearing as at 31 in Fig. 3 and likewise 'the two spokes 25`when bolted together form a complete spoke. This gives a complete drum-like structure and is thoroughly bracedl in every direction. Cutter bars y32` are bolted by means of a bolt 33 or other suitable fastening means to the cutter flanges 29 the boltsor fasteners 33 running through the bolt holes for this purpose. The rear edges 34of the cutters abut against the body portions 19 and Q0 of the drum, while the Y.

central yportions thereof aresnugly seated within the spaces 37 between the ends of the reinforcing and spacing blocks 38 formed upon the body portions 19 and 20 of the drum for preventing the cutter bars 32 from buckling at their central portions when contacting with obstructions which may be upon the surface of the ground. rl`he front edges of the cutter bars 32 are beveled, thereby giving a sharp cutting edge 36, which projects slightly beyond the periphery of the flanges 21 and 2i'.

Secured upon the under side of the tongue 8 by the bolts 17 and 39 is the resilient S-shaped spring member 40, provided at its lower end with the laterally diverging prongs or tines 41. r1`he spring member 40 is positioned sufliciently in advance of the drum 1, in order that the prongs or tines 41 will engage any stalks that may have lodged across the rows, thus turning the stalks lengthwise of the device and transversely ofthe cutter blades 32, whereby none of` the stalks may escape being thoroughly chopped.

In assembling the device, the axle 2 is mounted in the axle bearing 26 of the section 19 and the section 20 is then secured upon the section 19, heretofore described.

The axle bearings 3 are then placed upon the ends of the axle 2 and attached to the respective standards 4 and 5. The cross beams 6 and 7 and tongue 8 upon which is mounted the seated structure are then secured to the standards 4 and 5, as heretofore described.

The only parts of our device that require lubrication are the ends of the axle 2 within the bearings 3, and for lubricating these parts, the oil holes 42 are formed in the lower ends of the standards 4 and 5, having suitable channels leading to the respective bearings 3 for conveying the lubricant thereto. Y

In the operation of thek stalk cutter, the draft animals are hitched to the tongue 8 by any well known and suitable means and draw the device over the ground and through the stalks to be cut. The onward movement yof the machine will bend ythe stalks in a well known manner as is customary by devices of this character, untilthe stalks are pressed between the cutting edge 36 of the cutter blades 32 and the ground, the prongs 41, in the meantime, turningthe lodged stalks lengthwise of the device, when they are cut ina series of short lengths, owing to the weight ofthe machine pressing the cutter blades through them, thus giving a neat andnished job.

Copies out this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of atents,v

Vhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patentof the United States is:

1. A stalk cutter comprising a drum composed of a plurality of sections, a plurality Aof cutter blades attached to said drum, each section of said drum comprising a body section, end flange sections, and cutter blade flanges attached to said end flange sections, said cutter blades being attached to said cutter blade flanges.l 2. In a stalk cutting device, a plurality of semi-cylindrical sections, said sections when assembled forming a complete drum, and comprising a cylindrical body section, a plurality of spoke-like sections running from the body section to a center, an axle bearing groove running longitudinally of said central spoke section, right angular extended flanges projecting from saidY body section at the ends thereof, and a plurality of cutter blade flanges projecting at right angles from said end flanges, and a plurality of cutter blades attached to said cutter blade flanges and having their cutting edges projecting beyond the periphery of the end flanges. f I

3. In a stalk cutting device, a drum-like structure comprising a plurality of sections, aplurality ofspokes to each section having apertures through said spokes, a flange upon each ,end of said section forming a portion of aV disk, a plurality of flanges projecting from each end flange having apertures centrally disposed therein, and a plurality of cutter blades attached to said last mentioned flanges through said last mentioned apen tures, said sections being bolted together to form a completed drum by means of the apertures in the afore mentioned spokes.

4. In a stalk cuttingV device, a drum-like structure comprising a plurality of sections,

a plurality of spokes to each section having apertures through said spokes, a flange upon each end of said section forming a portion of a disk, a plurality of flanges projecting from each end flange having apertures centrally disposed therein, a plurality of cutter blades attached to said last mentioned flanges through said last mentioned aper tures, said sections being bolted together to form a completed drum by means of the apertures in the afore mentioned spokes, and spacing blocks arranged centrally around said drum for reinforcing said blades intermediate of their ends.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY T. HOLTQN.

' IVM; J. J EVVELL.

Vitnesses:

' W. C. WILKERsoN,

C. A. Nun/COMER. 

